Automatic float valve



Patented Sept. 4, 1928.

ROBERT '1. DICKE'Y, or DEL n10, TEXAS.

AUTOMATIC FLOAT VALVE.

Application filed December 11-, 1926.- Serial No. 154,223;

The present invention relates to improvements in automatic float valves and has for its primary object to provide a valve having an auxiliary safety valve to insure closure of the valve casing. v I

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved automatic float valve which will insure closure of the valve in the event of the operating float structure becoming inoperative.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a valve structure particularly adapted for controlling the delivery of water to a storage tank designed to automatically cut oil the water supply when the'tank has been filled to a pie-determined height;

Still anotherobje'ct of the invention is the provision of a valve of the above character which is comparatively simple and durable of construction and which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description progresses.-

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specificationand' in which like reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the same:

*igure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through aportion of a storage tank and valve structru'e constructed in accordance with my invention, V

Figure 2 is a top-plan view of the valve structure, and 1 Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1. I

Referring to the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 generally designates a fragmentary portion of a storage tank adapted'to contain water. Formed in the bottom of the tank 10 adjacent one end is an intake opening while an outletopening (not shown) is formed in the side wa l preferably at the opposite end.

The important characteristic 01 my invention resides in the provision of an automatically operable control valve connecting with a water feed line and disposed in the tank 10. This valve is arranged so as to automatically open when the water supply in the tank has been drained below a pro-determined level and to automatically close when water has been supplied to the tank to a suitable level. In: carryin out my invention, I provide a longitudinal valve casing 11- embodying' an intermediate cylindrical casing 12. Formed at the lower end of the casing-12 and of slightly reduced diameter is an interiorly screw threaded sleeve 13 forming the intake passage of the valve casing. The valve is nor mally arranged in a vertical position, the sleeve 13 being tightly fitted in the intake opening of the tank as illustrated and projectingdow'nwardly below the tank bottom. A water supply pipe 14 is threadedly connected with the sleeve 13 as shown in Figure 1,the diameter of this pipe varying with the feed capacity of thevalve; An essential feature of my present construction, however, is the practical application of relatively large feed lines so as to permit rapid filling of the tank. Formed at the upper end of the cylindrical casing 12 and of decreased diameter with re spect to the cylindrical casing is an'outlet sleeve 15, the lower end projecting slightly downward within the valve chamber to form a valve seat 16 While the upper end is formed with an annular V re-inforcing flange l7. From'this description it is apparent that the intermediate portion or the valve casing is of materially increased diameter with resp'eetto the intake and discharge passages, the pur- V pose of which will become apparent as the description progresses.

The inner side ofthe valve casing '11 Cal ries an angular bracket 18, the lower horizontal. arm being integrally connected-with the side of the casing or secured thereto while the upper end of the vertical arm is bifurcated to form'a bearing 19. Fulcr'umed on the bracket 18 is an op'eratingbar 20 formed so as to provide an upper horizontal extension 21 and a lower oliset extension'22. The bar 20 is connectedwith the upper forked end of the bracket 18 by means of a pivot pin 23 extending transversely throughlopenings in the bifurcated end of the bracket and through an opening in the upper extension 21 of the bar 20. One end of the fu'lcrumed bar 20 is therefore located above the valve casing 11 while the opposite end is disposed in a lowered position in the intermediate portion of the tank. i

A connecting link2lis formed so that its lower end pivotall-y connects with the end'of the extension 22 of the fulcrumed bar' while the upper end pivotally' connects with an eye 25 secured to thelower face or a flames. The float 26 may be of any preferredforin designed to float 0'11 the surface-of the liquid to swing the fulcrumbar 20 and-automatically actuate thevalve structure; a

Vertically movable with respect to the upper portion of the valve casing 11 is avalve head 27 including aflat circular body 28 formed with a convex projection 29 on 1ts upper central'portion. The convex projection is formed with a transverselyextending groove 30. Formed on the lower face of the valve head27 atthe center thereof is a circl lar ring 31 defining a central recess 32. ,Rlg-

idly secured to theloweredge of the ring 31 I 1 is avalve body33, flat on its upper surface and convex; on its lower surface. Thisvalve bodyisformed so as to tightlyseat on the upper end of the valve sleeve and is se-v cured'to the valve head by screws 34 threadedlylfitted in the ring. 31. Thevcenter ofthe valve body is formedwith a bore 35 aligning with the recess 32 formed in the center of the valve head.

Pivotally connected with the upper extension 21 of the fulcrumed arm 20 adjacent its outer end are apair of links 36 arranged in I parallel positions and'extending downwardly.

into the groove 30 formed in. the valve .head. The lowerends of the links 36, are pivotally connected in the valve head by means of a transverse pivot pin 37 sothat swingingmovement of the fulcrumed armwill vertically reciprocate the valve head 27 and the, body 33 to elevatedopen position or tea lowered closed a position. 1

Aspreviously indicated an important fea- L ture of'my present invention comprises the provis on of'a double acting valve structure embodying the provision of a safety valve which will automat-icallyj close in the event of failure of the float mechanism to function. V

'lhesafetyvalve embodies a valve rod38 having a looptormed on its upper end embracing a transversely extending support pin 39. i The pin 39 is tightly lodged invopenings formed in the ring 31 to support the valve rod 38 in a suspended position. It is therefore apparent that the upper looped end of the valverod38 is supported within the recess 32formed in the valve'head while the lower portioniextends.

downwardly andterminates in the intermediate portion of the body casing below the valve seat 16. Rigidly secured to the lower extremityfof thewalve rod 38 is a circular valve 40 the upper peripheral edge portion being disposed inja flat horizontal position to engagethe lower end of the sleeve 15. LA

transversely mounted bracket41 is secured in the intermediate portion of the'sleeve 15, the

i 7 central portion ofthe bracket being formed with an opening through which the valve rod 38 isextended tomaintain the valve rod in-a vertical position. 7

a In operation, when the liquid contained in the tank is drained therefrom through the discharge opening-of the'tank, the float 26 will belowered directly with the fallof the c ciently elevated to permit afree discharge of level ofthe liquid. Due to the construction of the fulcrumed arm 20, the portion 22 of the arm will swing downwardly with the movementof the float sothat the portion 21 will be elevated and the upper valve raised from its seat permitting the deliveryofliquid through the valve and into the tank. The structure is valve, the upper valve member will be suflithe liquid .throughlliesleeve of the casing The lower safety valve 40, will. bealso ele-j vated simultaneouslywiththe 'upward movement of the upper control valve, the lower safety valve being designed to normally termin'ate its upward;movementsubstantially below the seat 16 of the sleeve 15so asto permit the liquid to freely pass about the valve and' through the discharge opening during the filling ofthetank. a r

If,for any reason, the float operatingmechanism which controls the movement ofgthe upper control valve should become disconnect edorinoperative the pressureqof the water, flowing through the valve casing will automatically force the lowersafety' valve 40 to its seat 1.6 and therebyclose the valve and prevent the liquid overflowing the tank. This arrangedso thatlin the open position of the L construction will obviate considerable waste in supplying wateror other liquid to storage tanks of variousqtypes such as jwater feed troughs, flush tanks and thelike whereinthe operating mechanism becomes inoperative due to the sticking-0f the pivot'structure or breakage of the componenthelements. 'fAnotheradvantage embodied in the present structure is the practicability of constructing V valves of this type in relatively large sizes to accommodate supply pipes of large capacity w Ittis to be understood that the form of myinvention herewith shown and described; is y to be taken as the preferred example of the same and that various changes as'to the shape, i size and arrangement of parts may be resortseat, mechanism for operating the said control valve toa closed position on the valve seat and to an openposition raised from the adaptedto beseated upon thejexterior valve valve seat, a safety valve connected with-the control valve including a valve rod pivotally connectedwith the control. valve and extend ing within the valve casing, and a valve formed on the-inner end of the valve rod, the said safety valve being arranged to normally remain unseated during the operation of the control valve and operable by the pressure of a liquid passing through the valve to engage the inner valve seat when the control valve operating mechanism becomes inoperative.

2. An automatic valve comprising a vertical valve casing including an enlarged inter mediate casing section, an inlet sleeve formed on the lower end of said section engageable with a supply pipe, and an outlet sleeve formed on the upper end of the section, a valve seat formed at the upper extremity of the outlet sleeve, a second valve seat formed on the lower extremity of the outlet sleeve, a main control valve for engagement with the upper seat, means operatively associated with the main control valve for auton'iatically at justing the position thereof, a safety valve including a valve rod pivotally connected with the main control valve and extending clownwardly within the valve body and a valve member secured to the lower extremity of the valve rod freely movable within the casing section of the body and movable simultaneously with the control valve and normally held out of contact with the lower seat and arranged to engage the lower seat by the force of a liquid flowing through the valve when the main control valve operating structure fails to function.

8. An automatic valve comprising a casing formed wlth an intermediate enlarged casmg section, an inlet sleeve formed at the lower end of said casing adapted for connection normally suspended inthe intermediate por- 7 tion of the enlarged casing section and en gageable with the inner valve seat, a bracket secured to the side of the casing, an arm pivotally connected with the upper end of the bracket, a float connected with the inner end of the arm, links pivotally connecting the outer end of the arm and the control valve whereby the control valve will be automatically opened and closed by the movement of i the float, the said safety valve being vertically operable simultaneously with the move- Inent of the control valve and normally maintained out of engagement with the seat and engageable with the inner seat by the pres sure of the liquid when the control valve and adjusting means therefor failsto function;

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ROBERT T. 'DICKEY. 

